What is the most valuable item you can have as a parent to a newborn baby boy?

Question

I am 9 months pregnant, due on March 1st. I've had a baby shower already and feel that I'm missing just a few items. However, I want to know from experienced parents what they feel their most valuable item was that they had when they had their baby and what they just couldn't live without. Please help!!

Answer 1

When I was pregnant I thought I had everything ready, but once I had my baby (boy, and it is my first) I realized I wasn't as prepared as I thought. Here are a few suggestions for you:

- Make sure you have plenty of diapers. You will not want to go out and buy diapers when you have just had a baby, especially if you have a c-section or an episiotomy. Get enough to last at least 2-3 weeks. Most likely your spouse will not know what to buy or panic (mine did, haha!) I'd get like 2 boxes (there is usually about 96 in a pack of newborn diapers.) Babys go through diapers like crazy! Mine goes through about 10 (give or take a few) a day! Oh, also the Pampers swaddlers don't work well, mine pees throught them (boys pee a lot and in wierd directions.) I suggest using Huggies.

- Make sure you have a swing! It's a lifesaver! Also, make sure you have enough batteries for them...they run out fast. Most take 4 D batteries. The swing is the only way my baby will go to sleep unless I'm holding him (and I can't do that all the time!)

- My doctor told me my baby was going to be 9+ lbs, so we bought all 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothes for him, only to find out he was 7 lbs (big difference!) and he couldn't fit in anything we bought. We had to go to the store and buy him newborn sized clothes. So make sure to have a few things in different sizes. You can always return what you don't use.

- Before I gave birth I thought I was going to breastfeed, but only to find out it was a lot harder than I thought and my baby wouldn't! So, if you are planning to breastfeed, maybe buy just 1 can of formula, just in case!

Good luck, get as much rest as you can now! It will all change when your little guy arrives! I wish you all the best :)

Answer 2

Wow, tough question! I've read through all of the other answers, and I have to say that I didn't use my swing very much until my son was a few months old, and those Mylicon drops were just useless. He could've swigged the whole bottle and still screamed all night! LOL.

We did use our bouncy seat quite a bit, but he didn't like the vibrations until he got bigger, like three months or so. The travel system was a life-saver. My son was born in February (he'll be a year old on Saturday), so it was great to be able to wrap him up all warm in the carseat, and then take him outside, instead of taking him out, unwrapping him, buckling him, and then wrapping back up.

My sister-in-law gave me this thing at my shower that was like a thick coat, but it was shaped like one of those blanket sleepers. I think it's called a bunting, but I'm not sure. It buttoned all the way down the front, but the baby's legs were inside of this bag-type thing that had a slit all the way through for the carseat buckle. We used that quite a bit, almost every time we went out.

People told me that I HAD to have a boppy pillow, that they couldn't imagine getting through nursing without one, but I didn't use mine too much. It laid right against my c-section cut, and always seemed to slip to the side or put the baby at an ackward angle. I usually used two regular old pillows. My son did use the boppy when he was learning to sit, but wouldn't lie on it otherwise.

One thing that I really love is my formula dispenser. I stopped nursing at 3 months, and I bought this little bowl that had a flip-top spout. It holds three bottles worth of dry formula powder that you can measure out ahead of time. That way, your baby always has a fresh bottle and you don't have to worry about keeping one cold while you travel. A mixed bottle can go bad after 1 to 2 hours without refridgeration, even if the baby hasn't drank from it.

I'm sure there are a lot of other things I used a lot when he was a newborn, but I can't think of anything else that I used as much as that.

Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 3

Hello I have a 5 month old and there were a few things I would have died without those first few months.

1. a Boppy! They are great whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

2. A Kiddopatomus Swaddle Me Blanket (available at Babies R Us) Swaddles your baby perfectly for a good nights sleep

3. Swing, at first the only place my baby would sit besides in my arms without crying!! Hard to even shower without a swing or bouncer seat. My daughter never really liked the bouncer seat though.\

4. My Travel system stroller/car seat combo, it is so nice not to have to wake a sleeping baby to go in the store, just pop out the carrier and put it in the cart.

5. My digital Camera!! I take at least 10-50 pics of her a day. I can't believe how much she has already changed in 5 months!!

Congratulations on your little boy!!! Enjoy every moment they grow sooo fast!!

Answer 4

Hi,
I think one of my most valuable items when I had all 3 of my children was a Stroller.
I honestly don't know how some parents can carry a child around the mall, grocery store or even go for walks without a stroller.
I took the stroller wherever I went and it came in handy for my sleeping baby as well as when my baby was awake and wanted to look around at all the surroundings.
Anyway, Congratulations on your new baby and I wish you the very best!!

Answer 5

I really like the answers about having a book to look things up in. I had the "The Baby Book" by William Sears, but the others mentioned are good books, too. I think you'll be surprised at how many things you end up looking up. We also used those lap pads a lot. They are great for public restrooms or even other people's houses. We live where it's cold, so I also HIGHLY recommend the car seat cover.

Congrats on the new baby -- enjoy him.

Answer 6

Bag Balm for diaper rash clears it up within 24 hours also works on cuts burns scrapes kinda like A&D ointment but better and a college fund even if you don't have alot right now start an account and put a little in it at least once a month. Other than that a lot of love and a great sense of humor

Answer 7

Feeding Essentials
- Boppy pillow
- Some type of breast pump if you plan on breastfeeding.
-Extra Cans of formula
- Bottles
- Nursing pads
- Lanolin breast cream (I really liked Lansinoh.)

Around the house
- Bouncer and/or swing
- Pack n' Play with bassinet feature and lift-off changing station

The little things
- Baby care kit (Usually has a bulb syringe, nail clippers, nail scissors, dropper, etc.)
- Thermometer and Vaseline (The only accurate way to take a baby's temperature is rectally, so Vaseline is a must.)
- A gentle, unscented moisturizer
- A gentle, all-in-one baby wash (Shampoo and baby soap in one.)
-Plenty of receiving blankets
-Plenty of extra diapers and wipes

For travel
- Window sunshades

Clothing/Layette
- LOTS of onesies in various sizes
- LOTS of sleepers

I also loved the Diaper Genie and I think that pretty much covers it.

Answer 8

I had 2 small wicker baskets in every room.

One was empty for dirty clothing and anything I used for the baby. it came in handy because the phone or door bell would ring and did not have time to take the things where they needed to go. So my house stayed clutter free...(sort of you cant believe how much the baby needs)

One was full of clean baby items from cloth diapers for spit ups, clothing, and everything needed for a diaper change.

This saved so much time with my children and my friends used the same idea. That way when the baby is sleeping you have it all in the wicker basket and away you go.

Congrats hun

Answer 9

I had all the things that are mentioned and found all them useful at one time or another. However, I still cannot do with out the burp cloths. TONS of them. My son spit up a lot the first four months so it was great to have small stacks of them around the house (especially when I was nursing him to stop leaking on the other side, to catch spit up when I changed sides or burped him or pretty much moved him any way). They are still great even tough he spits up very little now. I always have something to wipe his nose, mouth, face or wash/dry his hands, face whatever. Congrats - motherhood is more wonderful (and difficult) than you can ever imagine.

Answer 10

All the answers given were very good. the 1 thing you should have weather the baby is a boy or a girl is a baby monitor. That way no matter what room your in youll always be able to hear the baby.